Trib readers say redesign lands with a thud: Crain's survey

(Crain's) -- The Chicago Tribune's redesign is out, and your response is in: different, but not better.

Nearly 72% of readers responding to a ChicagoBusiness.com poll said they didn't like the overall look of the new Tribune, with nearly 81% saying the new design makes it no easier to find stories that are important to them.

Some 65% of respondents said there isn't enough space devoted to the stories they want to read, and 68% said the new design did a worse job of presenting the news than the old layout.

Most important for the Trib -- where ad revenue has declined much more steeply than expected, as the economy slows -- 60% of respondents said the new design would make them more likely to cancel their subscriptions.

More than 1,100 ChicagoBusiness.com readers responded to the poll, which was posted online Monday.

A sampling of reader comments:

"The big photos and large font make it feel like a newspaper on training wheels. I am looking for depth and content, not fluff and frivolity. Additionally, with only three sections, it is now impossible to share the paper with another family member at breakfast."

"I'm more than willing to give it a month. If it holds with what I've seen so far, I'm canceling my subscription."

"It just feels like I'm getting less for my money."

"I am likely to continue subscribing, as I have been a loyal reader for well over 21 years. However, my continued reading has nothing to do with the new design."

"I will try it for a few more weeks, but I may switch. If I wanted People magazine, I would purchase it."